Structured data collection, presentation, validation and workflow management

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of integrating decoupled front-end and back-end processes is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a front-end configuration including validation specifications and a back-end configuration including data validation rules; receiving a data item via forms-based interface associated with the front-end configuration, the data item having been validated based on the validation specifications; mapping the data item to a back-end data object; detecting a conflict between the validation specifications and the validation rules; altering a back-end validation process associated with the back-end data object; causing storing the data item in a database system in association with the back-end data object.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method of integrating decoupled front-end and back-end processes, comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, a front-end configuration including validation specifications and a back-end configuration including data validation rules; 
 receiving a data item via a forms-based interface associated with the front-end configuration, 
 the data item having been validated based on the validation specifications; 
 mapping the data item to a back-end data object; 
 detecting a conflict between the validation specifications and the data validation rules; 
 altering a back-end validation process associated with the back-end data object; 
 causing storing the data item in a database system in association with the back-end data object. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , the detecting comprising determining that a specific validation specification of the validation specifications is more lenient than a specific data validation rule of the data validation rules and that the specific validation specification is to override or modify the specific data validation rule. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , the mapping comprising traversing a mapping between a graph-based data model associated with the database system and a nongraph-based data model associated with the forms-based interface. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , the detecting comprising determining that a specific validation specification of the validation specifications is more stringent than a specific data validation rule of the data validation rules and that the specific data validation rule is to be skipped. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , the altering comprising modifying the back-end validation process to accept a different data type. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 interpreting the front-end configuration, which defines an object; 
 causing generating the forms-based interface, including a control element arranged to obtain data in association with the object. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , the front-end configuration specifying a front-end data validation process that includes comparing obtained data to a set of data items that have been received previously via the control element, determining a measure of similarity between the obtained data and the set of data items, and validating the obtained data based on the measure of similarity. 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , the front-end configuration specifying a front-end data validation process that includes comparing a location of obtained data to a current geographical location and validating the obtained data based on a result of the comparing. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 interpreting the front-end configuration, which specifies a query; 
 causing generating a workflow-based interface, including a control element arranged to facilitate review of data retrieved by execution of the query. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , further comprising, in response to a detected interaction with the control element, executing a set of back-end commands that maps to a state transition initiated by the detected interaction. 
     
     
       11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more sequences of instructions which when executed cause one or more processors to perform a method of integrating decoupled front-end and back-end processes, the method comprising:
 receiving a front-end configuration including validation specifications and a back-end configuration including data validation rules; 
 receiving a data item via a forms-based interface associated with the front-end configuration, 
 the data item having been validated based on the validation specifications; 
 mapping the data item to a back-end data object; 
 detecting a conflict between the validation specifications and the data validation rules; 
 altering a back-end validation process associated with the back-end data object; 
 causing storing the data item in a database system in association with the back-end data object. 
 
     
     
       12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 11 , the detecting comprising determining that a specific validation specification of the validation specifications is more lenient than a specific data validation rule of the data validation rules and that the specific validation specification is to override or modify the specific data validation rule. 
     
     
       13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 11 , the mapping comprising traversing a mapping between a graph-based data model associated with the database system and a nongraph-based data model associated with the forms-based interface. 
     
     
       14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 11 , the detecting comprising determining that a specific validation specification of the validation specifications is more stringent than a specific data validation rule of the data validation rules and that the specific data validation rule is to be skipped. 
     
     
       15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 11 , the altering comprising modifying the back-end validation process to accept a different data type. 
     
     
       16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 interpreting the front-end configuration, which defines an object; 
 causing generating the forms-based interface, including a control element arranged to obtain data in association with the object. 
 
     
     
       17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 16 , the front-end configuration specifying a front-end data validation process that includes comparing obtained data to a set of data items that have been received previously via the control element, determining a measure of similarity between the obtained data and the set of data items, and validating the obtained data based on the measure of similarity. 
     
     
       18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 11 , the front-end configuration specifying a front-end data validation process that includes comparing a location of obtained data to a current geographical location and validating the obtained data based on a result of the comparing. 
     
     
       19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 interpreting the front-end configuration, which specifies a query; 
 causing generating a workflow-based interface, including a control element arranged to facilitate review of data retrieved by execution of the query. 
 
     
     
       20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 19 , the method further comprising, in response to a detected interaction with the control element, executing a set of back-end commands that maps to a state transition initiated by the detected interaction.